Approaching Darkenesse
by Arty Thrip - Alpha 04
Summary: This is the sequel to the Seventh Son. Second generation. Fifteen years later and the newest of the Heaps are up to mischief again... But there is a Darkenesse approaching one girl in particular... May be confusing if you haven't read the Seventh Son...
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note: I appear to be back sooner than expected... However the next chapter may take a while... This is the second generation part of the Seventh Son (which I finished yesterday)... This story may take a while to get going, I have a plan for the plot, but this first chapter is mainly introducing all the kids... And I realise there was already a Hunter in magyk, but I don't care, his name is Hunter Heap and that's final, he's named after a boat... ;D... This may be confusing to start with so... stick with me... There are nine new characters in this chapter alone! Nine new Heap children! Oh well, thanks to everyone who read the Seventh Son... I hope you will stick with this one too... ~ARTY~**

**Oh and I'm going to tack this on the end, even though no-one will probably read it as I already have two chapters after this: Dear Info Guy (I don't know who you are, so I'll stick to your anonymous name) I KNOW THE YOUNG ARMY WAS DISSOLVED! It's a story, it isn't meant to be taken seriously, jeez... And still, Trevor would have existed only have been out of the Young Army earlier, you know... Twisting details is what I do, get over it! Thanks for reviewing to tell me that anyway... ~ARTY~**

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Chapter 1

It was fifteen years to the day since the great recapturing of the Castle. A lot of things had changed since then but still so many things were the same. Simon Heap and Merrin Meredith were still Sealed inside Dungeon One which had had an antidarke incantation put on it so that they couldn't escape.

Simon's child had been born about three months are his imprisonment. A baby girl called Kayleigh. Simon hadn't found out about his daughter's birth until at least a year afterwards, all along he had feared that Lucy and his child had been murdered during the raid. Kayleigh never knew her father, her grandparents saw to that, she was never told about her father's attempts to overthrow the Castle ten years previously. Lucy Heap had been prevented from telling her daughter anything by a strong charm and young Kayleigh had grown up none the wiser. Kayleigh did not have green eyes and so therefore possessed no magykal talent like her father, Simon would not have been proud. Kayleigh became a scribe in the Manuscriptorium under the supervision of Beetle, who had now been appointed Chief Hermetic Scribe, the highest position he could have obtained during his time there.

Trevor and Hettie Mason-Heap had been married now for twelve years. Trevor had taken his true surname as well as his mother's name when they had wed. They had four children. The eldest was a girl who they named Ria after Hettie's grandmother, Ria was twelve. Ria had blonde hair and bright green eyes; she took after her father in that respect. Trevor had her training as an Ordinary Wizard already. The other three children were triplets, all sons, named Nate, short for Nathaniel, Charlie and Robert, sometimes Robbie. Only Nate had green eyes but all four looked so much like Heaps that they couldn't possibly have been mistaken for anything else. The triplets were ten years old.

Jojo Heap had a daughter called Freya who was immediately drafted in the Wendron Coven after her birth nine years ago. Freya had never known anything except the Forest and occasionally was visited by her city-dwelling uncles and her aunt Jenna, the young Queen.

Nicko Heap also had children with his wife Snorri, a boy and two girls called Felicity, who was eleven, Grace, who was ten and Hunter who was seven and named after a boat that Nicko had acquired in his Boatyard. The children were going to help in the Boatyard as soon as they were old enough and strong enough. Felicity looked a lot like her mother but Grace and Hunter both took after the Heap side of the family in appearance.

Jenna Heap was now twenty eight and the official Queen of the Castle. She had never married and had no children of her own though she wanted them so badly. She loved to spend time with her brothers' children, especially Ria because she was so much like Septimus, she did like Septimus a lot but not enough to marry him. Not yet anyway.

Beetle never married either. He was still in love with Jenna even though he'd never admit it. Then again, most of the men in the Castle had been in love with the young Queen at some stage, even Septimus was still in love with her.

But things weren't always going to be peachy for these nine special cousins, they would soon end up working together to help save the Castle once more, be they scribes, witches, Wizards or just plain apprentices, their lives were about to get a whole lot more interesting.

The story picks back up when Kayleigh asks for the umpteenth time about her father.

"Do you know about my father, Uncle Septimus? What happened to him?"

Septimus paused for a moment to stare at his green ExtraOrdinary apprentice robes which he still had all these years later.

"Your father Simon… I don't know what happened to him… You know about the great war on this day fifteen years ago… He vanished after that…" Septimus lied.

Kayleigh didn't believe him for a second. "Why does my mother never speak of him? They were married. I fail to think he would just abandon his pregnant wife. Was he one of those men that started the war? Is he in Dungeon One? People seldom speak of the men down there, but I have heard of them. One is my father."

Septimus knew the game was up; they could never have kept their secret forever. "Yes, Kayleigh. Simon Heap is your father. We were shielding you. Your father was a criminal who kidnapped your aunt and was responsible for the deaths of your two uncles, Edd and Erik. He is to rot in Dungeon One for an eternity, which is his destiny. We don't want you to feel bad about whom your father is and we don't want him to try and influence you to start another war. Families were shattered by your father's actions as well as those of his accomplice Merrin Meredith."

"So my father is a darke necromancer? I could never follow him; I have no magykal power…"

"Yes, but stranger things have happened before…"

"I would never practice darke magyk; I have been brought up in a stable environment where there is only good magyk. Two of my uncles are the seventh sons. I wish to meet with my father."

"That cannot happen," Septimus insisted. "Your mother is with her family unwillingly, if you see Simon she will take flight. It is not impossible to break into Dungeon One, your uncle Trevor and I managed it before the Great War, but we don't want people to even think about it."

Kayleigh smiled. Her uncle had unwillingly given her an amazing idea. She was going to break into Dungeon One to meet her father. It was not right for a young girl to grow up without a father and Kayleigh was determined that that would not happen to her. But she'd need some help. A lowly scribe could never break into that dungeon; she was going to ask her Wizard cousin Ria for help…


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Note: This is a one off update... I promise as soon as I'm back from my Easter holidays I'll be back to updating every day. I'm so sorry this has taken so long... In this chapter Kayleigh does a very stupid thing and then gets ticked off because of it... I'm going to dedicate this chapter to Rollieo 122 again, because she's been on the side of a mountain all week, got back today, hasn't read past chapter 4 of TSS, one of my characters is named after her and she is my best friend in real life... Also to my readers and reviewers, and those who fit in both categories... You guys have two weeks of promises left... Oh and right now I'm 'writing my coursework' so that explains why it's so terrible... If Iluvcatz missed her bus, I'm very very sorry, but obviously not, because I love your new story! And I love Camilla Richard's new story too! Ha, I love you guys... All of you... In fact, I think I've read all four of my reviewer's stories... I'm rambling because I want to put off my coursework... OK, I'm gonna go now... See you all when I see you... ~ARTY~ (fabled story write)**

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Chapter 2

"The answer is no," said Ria definitely, her blonde hair blowing into her eyes. "I can't… My father will kill me! And if he doesn't then your father will! Just because I'm a Wizard and you're my cousin doesn't mean I will help you!"

"I'm sure Nate will help me."

"_You wouldn't dare_," said Ria angrily. "Nate is only ten. And you won't go pestering Charlie or Robbie either. I'm not helping you, Kayleigh, not to do that."

"Your father broke into Dungeon One when he was fifteen. Uncle Septimus helped him. I want to meet my father…"

Ria softened slightly. "I know you do, I love being with my dad but he told all about how dangerous your father is. I don't want to meddle with Uncle Simon or Merrin Meredith, they're dangerous, they really are!"

"What about me? I don't have brothers like you! I'm not in a coven like Freya or in the Boatyard like Felicity and Grace and Hunter. I'm a stupid little scribe with no magykal talent, a darke necromancer for a father and a mother who's so obviously been bewitched that it's ridiculous. Your mother is pregnant again anyway! And so is Aunt Marissa… My Uncle Rupert won't touch me with a barge pole and my grandparents have some aversion to anything Heap related including me! I only have the Heaps that don't hate me, but they're wary of me and now I know it's because of who my father is! Well I'm going to break into Dungeon One with or without you, Ria! I will meet my father."

Ria felt awful listening to this rant, she wanted to help but she didn't want to cross her father. Trevor and Septimus would be very ashamed of her if she helped Kayleigh do this and as the seventh sons they had more than enough right to punish her for the rest of her life.

"I'll only help you if you promise to keep it a secret and if you let me leave before you go in…"

Kayleigh grinned and flung her arms around her cousin's neck. "Of course I will! Thank you so much, Ria!"

"But I think someone else will have to pick the lock for you…"

"Don't worry about that. Felicity, Grace and Hunter are all really good at that sort of thing…"

"Don't drop them all in it!"

"I won't, promise."

Kayleigh ran to the Boatyard to search for her cousins. She found her youngest cousin, Hunter, first. Hunter was quite tall for his seven years; in fact he was almost as tall as Kayleigh who was not tall at all. Hunter's hair was sandy and curly and he had a tan from spending time on the water with his father, Nicko. Hunter was better on the water than he was on land, he had sailed before he had walked and his first word had been 'boat'. Nicko was very proud of his only son.

"Hunter!" Kayleigh called to him. He was lying in a boat in the middle of the river, probably asleep.

He sat up wearily and gazed across to his cousin in the Boatyard. "Yes?" he asked sleepily.

Noticing his bushy hair sticking out above the boat, Kayleigh said hopefully, "You can pick locks, right?"

"Sure… But I'm not gonna help you break in anywhere."

"Oh, come on, Hunter…"

"Nope. Sorry Kayleigh. I'm not going to help you break in anywhere. Go ask Flick or Grace…" said Hunter firmly, settling back down into the rowing boat.

"Well where are they then? I want to meet my father, Hunter… All you have to do is pick the lock and then you can leave; I won't tell anyone if you help me…"

"Your dad? Your dad is in jail, Kayleigh. I'm not breaking into a jail. _My_ dad will kill me, not to mention Uncle Septimus and Uncle Trevor…"

"Tell me where Flick and Grace are then…"

"Don't get them in trouble!"

"It will be their choice, Hunter…"

"Fine… Flick is… down river, I think… Grace… can't help you."

"Thanks Hunter."

Hunter started to snore quietly in the boat and Kayleigh knew she had outstayed her welcome slightly, so see headed off downstream to find Flick. Flick agreed to help her in her haywire plot to break into Dungeon One on the condition that Kayleigh accepted full responsibility _when_ it went wrong. Kayleigh wasn't so sure things would definitely fail…

Ria, Flick and Kayleigh headed down the stairs to Dungeon One, it was dusty down here and the walls were eerie and black. Ria created a small gap in the antidarke hex so that Flick could pick the lock. Within five minutes the door was unlocked. Flick tried to run away but Ria stopped her from leaving.

"I don't trust her father; we should stay here unless anything goes wrong… Besides, how can Kayleigh lock the door afterwards? Imagine if Simon and Merrin escaped..."

Kayleigh opened the door slightly and looked inside. There were two men in here; one was obviously her father because he looked a lot like Kayleigh's uncles, but the other was not related to anyone she knew, he must have been Merrin Meredith. Both men were filthy from their fifteen years of imprisonment. Kayleigh slipped inside and shut the door behind her before either of them tried to move.

"Who the Hell are you?" demanded Merrin Meredith angrily, trying to break the chains that held him to the wall.

"My name is… um…"

"Don't know?" Merrin mocked.

Simon looked up, a furious look in his eye. "Child of one of my good for nothing brothers, probably, can't you see the Heap in her? Nicko, I think, she has eyes kind of like his ridiculous girlfriend…"

"My name is Kayleigh Heap," Kayleigh said, a sharp edge on her voice that reminded Simon of someone he used to know very well. "I wouldn't come _here_ if I was related to Nicko any closer than an uncle."

"Wait… Kayleigh… Are you..?"

"Yes, I'm your daughter. My eyes are just like your _wife's_, but didn't you notice that, did you? I came here to meet my father!"

Merrin choked a laugh. "_You_ are Simon Heap's daughter?"

"SHUT UP MERRIN!" Simon screamed. "KEEP YOUR SCRAWNY MOUTH IN CHECK OR I WILL KILL YOU."

Merrin shut up quickly.

"Yes, I am Simon Heap's daughter," Kayleigh continued, quite unpreturbed.

"But you aren't… you don't have… magyk…"

"No. But a lot of my cousins do… Are you disappointed?"

"I'm astounded. I am a darke necromancer and my daughter is a pathetic scribe."

"Pathetic? _Pathetic_? How dare you? You may be my father, but you have no right to treat me like this. I'll prove you wrong, I'll do magyk without green eyes, I will. I'm sorry I ever came here."

Kayleigh marched from the dungeon and left Ria and Flick to ReSeal the door, she had never been so angry in her life. She would prove her father wrong. She would. And someone somewhere had heard her promise. The Darkenesse was approaching.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author Note: I'm quicker than I thought... Dedicating this very, very slapped together chapter to 13magicalm0ments who so far is the only person in the world who has read chapter 2 and who sent me a list of names which I forgot about until today... I hope you noticed that I did use your list... I can't remember my first plan of what to call Felicity, but she turned out quite important, didn't she? Keep on rocking people! :D**

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Chapter 3

The Darkenesse was fast, nobody saw it coming, nobody sensed it, even Trevor Mason-Heap or his brother Septimus. They did see young Kayleigh's sudden obsession with magyk as strange though, in all her fourteen years she had never tried to perform magyk and now she threw herself at it body and soul. The first person who realised what had probably happened was the aging ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia Overstrand. She felt a disturbance in the magyk around Dungeon One and she instantly linked the two occurrences together. Wasting no time, Marcia confronted Kayleigh Heap with her theory.

"That's ridiculous, Madam Marcia, I just want to do magyk," was Kayleigh's stock response.

Marcia was not fooled; she had seen people do far worse after meeting necromancers. "Kayleigh, you went to see your father in Dungeon One, I know you did. Now tell me why you want to do magyk so badly, did your father ask you to do anything?"

"No! I just want to do magyk."

"Kayleigh! Listen to me. Why do you want to do magyk? You have no magykal talent and everyone knows that, what makes you think you would be able to perform this charm? What did Simon say to you?"

"Nothing! Leave me alone, you horrible old woman!" Kayleigh shouted, grabbing Marcia's wrist.

To the amazement of both people, their eyes suddenly changed colour, Marcia's turned from green to brown and Kayleigh's merged from blue into turquoise. Marcia tried to do a charm but nothing happened.

"What have you done Kayleigh?" Marcia demanded, slightly scared.

Kayleigh was astounded. "I-I don't know…" she said quietly. Kayleigh tried to cast the charm again and this time it worked perfectly. "But I think I just took your magyk. So, stupid hag, I want you to Freeze."

Marcia froze. Kayleigh laughed, she had magyk at last! Now she would prove her stupid father wrong! Just to be sure, Kayleigh stole the Akhu Amulet from Marcia's frozen neck and ran away through the streets of the Castle. No-one would find Marcia for a long while and nobody would realise who had done it, Kayleigh was just a scribe to them. Now Kayleigh was going to free her mother from that curse.

Unfortunately for Kayleigh, her uncle Nicko Heap was walking past that precise spot not long after she had fled, he recognised Marcia immediately and sprinted up to the Wizard Tower to find his brothers. Nicko thought that Simon or Merrin had escaped; no-one else in their right mind would Freeze Marcia Overstrand.

Trevor and Septimus UnFroze Marcia easily, she was slightly shaken, she had never been Frozen before and she instantly knew that the Amulet was gone. It was Septimus who noticed Marcia's eyes.

"What happened Marcia?" he asked agitatedly.

Marcia shivered and pulled a blanket over herself. "You won't like it, Septimus. Your niece did this."

"Which one? Ria? Freya?"

Trevor stopped in his tracks. "I will not believe that my daughter did this," he said defensively.

"Well the others aren't magykal; they couldn't have done this…"

"Or so we thought," Marcia said sadly. "I think young Kayleigh is possessed."

"Kayleigh?!" said Septimus in shock. "She… You think Simon..?"

Marcia nodded. "Yes. She went to see Simon and she got in. That means she had help with that antidarke spell… I suspect Ria or Nate, Freya hasn't been in the Castle in years…"

Trevor scowled. "Stop accusing my children! Why would Ria or Nate help her break into Dungeon One?"

"Perhaps you should ask them that… I also suspect she had help from another… One of Nicko's brood."

Nicko didn't look impressed. "What would my children do to help get in there?"

"Your children all know how to pick locks, Nicko," Septimus explained. "When me and Trevor broke in, Trevor picked the lock; it can't be done by magyk."

"Yeah, and what about Charlie or Robbie? Saves two trips… I'm sure boys their age all know how to pick locks…"

Marcia had a smile curling across her lips now. "Perhaps, instead of arguing about who it _might_ be, we should ask them who it is…"

Within the hour the seven children were assembled at the top of the Wizard Tower in front of the now defrosted ExtraOrdinary Wizard and a selection of their uncles.

"Now children, which of you helped Kayleigh break into Dungeon One?" asked Marcia calmly.

The children glanced at each other suspiciously. Ria and Felicity felt awful, Kayleigh had promised to take the blame.

Hunter spoke first. "She asked me but I said no. I sent her downstream to find Flick…"

Felicity scowled. "I er… I said no…" Felicity replied unconvincingly.

"Flick!" Nicko sighed.

"See," said Trevor defensively. "Why would _my_ children help her?"

Ria sighed loudly. "I did. I didn't want her going to Nate… Sorry dad."

"Ria! How dare you? Why on earth would you..?"

Septimus grabbed Trevor's arm to stop him doing anything stupid. "Forgive her, she meant well… Remember to stay calm… Do you recall my mistake with Jenna?"

Septimus was referring to the time that he had killed Jenna during a fit of anger fifteen years ago.

"Thank you for owning up," Marcia continued, knowing it was stupid to let the children dwell on this comment for too long. "Do either of you know what Simon said to her in there? Could he have possessed her?"

Ria shook her head. "No, he didn't possess her, he said she was pathetic and she promised him that she would do magyk one day before storming out… Flick and I Sealed the door afterwards. I told her it was a mistake to go in there but she wouldn't listen. Is she possessed? What did she do?"

"It doesn't matter. So, she promised she would do magyk… Did anyone else hear this?"

"Merrin Meredith," Felicity shrugged.

"And did he possess her?"

"No. Simon threatened to kill him if he didn't shut up."

Marcia thought carefully. "Well, thank you for your time children… I think that we will have to do some research on this matter… Septimus, can you go to the Pyramid Library and see what you can find on Darkenesse? We need to find out what has possessed Kayleigh…"

"You know, I think Kayleigh has possessed Kayleigh," said Trevor suddenly. "She is really determined to prove that she isn't pathetic and I remember determined people seem to be able to do very strange things when they want to… Something helped her take the magyk, but I don't think she is possessed."

"Kayleigh took magyk?" Nate blurted out. "Madam Marcia's magyk… Her eyes have gone brown."

The children all stared at Nate and then turned to Marcia; they didn't know how they could have missed that.

"Nate's right!" said either Charlie or Robbie, who seemed to be identical. All three were identical in looks, but Nate had green eyes.

"We'll help you get it back!" said the second triplet.

"No you will not," said Trevor firmly. "Go home now, all four of you… And Ria, you _will_ be punished when I get back."

"Trevor!" said Septimus. "Ria was sparing Nate from punishment… Robbie, I know you mean well, but you can't help… The Great War fifteen years ago saw a lot of non-magykal people giving up their lives for no good reason, just like my brothers Edd and Erik, I don't think anyone here is prepared to let you fight. You're younger than Edd and Erik were, they were seventeen and so had a choice to go into that war, but you are only ten, your dad calls the shots for you."

Robbie and Charlie groaned simultaneously. "Not fair," one breathed.

"I agree," said the other grumpily.

Then the two triplets disappeared through the door.

"Go home you three," Nicko said to his children. "Your mother isn't going to be proud of you, Felicity."

Flick stared at her feet as she followed her siblings from the room. Ria and Nate refused to leave.

"I want to help," said Nate. "I am magykal."

"You're ten," Septimus rebuked.

"This is all my fault," Ria mumbled. "Let me help, please… I'm only twelve, but I want to help."

"NO!" said Trevor angrily. "And don't go telling your mother about what's happened, you know she can't get stressed while she's pregnant…"

"You know, I think Kayleigh will trust Ria more than she trusts us," said Marcia after careful deliberation. "She might be able to help us…"


	4. Chapter 4

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**Author Notes: Well, after a long and uneventful holiday in my own home, I'm finally back! And back for a long while! I hope you haven't missed me too much, in fact, I doubt you've missed me at all... I'm going to dedicate this long long long overdue chapter to my friend Camilla Richard, who made me laugh a fair few times during my three weeks away and may have vented at me once, but I don't care (I'm still standing (song springs to mind))... Also to Iluvcatz, I love the story you've written! So people, in this chapter a long awaited event occurs... And remember the name Mackenzie Bridger, because I plan to make more of him in the future... I have an idea for a crossover, but that all depends on how many people read Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix, can I have some feedback on this please? If the name doesn't ring a bell, it's Mister Monday, Grim Tuesday etc. Glad to be back in business... ~ARTY~**

**Random Unimportant Quote**

**If everyone cared and nobody cried,**

**If everyone loved and nobody lied,**

**If everyone shared and swallowed their pride**

**Would we see the day, the day that nobody died? - If Everyone Cared by Nickelback (amazing song btw) I may incorperate this at some future time so... Have fun :)**

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Chapter 4

Kayleigh Heap was enjoying her new power; she used it to acquire a lot more than she needed. She had drained a few too many people of their power, not only the ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand, but also her grandfather Silas Heap and a young Wizard called Mackenzie Bridger.

It didn't take her family long to figure out where she had gone, she was leaving a highly visible trail of destruction behind her. Much to Trevor's annoyance, Ria was allowed to tag along by Marcia Overstrand and her uncle Septimus. Nate was sent home and Hettie Mason-Heap was told to make sure she kept them all safe, whatever the cost, particularly Nate, Kayleigh knew of his powers and in her current state of mind she could do anything.

People had ascertained that she was possessed by a power-hungry darkenesse and anyone she touched was drained of every ounce of magyk that they had ever owned, but she didn't want to relinquish it and so she herself was in complete control of all of her actions, not the darkenesse. The worst discovery was yet to come though, they followed her trail back to Dungeon One where the door had been torn off its hinges and the prisoners looked half dead. Nobody had seen these two in fifteen years and it came as a shock for Septimus and Trevor to see them like that, Marcia failed to produce any great reaction.

When they looked at the prisoners they found Merrin Meredith half dead and both completely drained of their power. Kayleigh had experimented on Merrin with her very first, extremely powerful, thunderflash, but her aim had been off and she had only knocked him senseless.

"Simon, what have you done to Kayleigh?" Trevor demanded.

Simon raised his head slightly but looked no-one in the eye. "I did nothing," he said, his voice harsh and dry.

"She is possessed! There are only two darke necromancers in this city and she came here before she went off like this!" shouted Trevor, starting to lose his temper after all the years of keeping himself calm.

"I did nothing," Simon repeated. "I never touched her. She ran away! She came back ranting about having found power, then she kills that stupid twerp and grabs my arm and then she leaves. I don't know what happened, but she touched Merrin too, and her eyes have turned bright green now…"

"She has taken your power, Simon," said Marcia Overstrand calmly.

Simon's eyes widened. "I'm powerless? I can't be! I spent years… Let me out of here, if I'm powerless then you have nothing to fear, do you? I want to see my wife, I've been away from her for fifteen years and I have been haunted by every minute. Let me go."

Ria stepped forward, her eyes glowing green as she moved towards him. "We can't let you go, Uncle Simon. Kayleigh is too dangerous and if she were to join forces with you… the consequences could be atrocious."

"And who do you think YOU are?" Simon sneered at her.

"Ria…" Trevor growled to her so that Simon couldn't hear.

"I'm fine. I'm your niece and right now one of the few chances you have of getting your powers back, so you'd best not insult me. Do you hear me?"

Simon looked at her and noticed the bizarre phenomenon occurring in her eyes, becoming slightly transfixed. Unable to look away he felt something change within him but he didn't know what it was. Trevor and Septimus stared on in blank misunderstanding. Marcia was smiling.

"She's a special one, that girl," Marcia muttered to herself.

Then Ria looked away and the atmosphere returned to what it had been before things had started to get spooky.

"He didn't do anything to Kayleigh," Ria concluded. "I can see it inside of him. He truly wants to see his wife. Could you bring Aunt Lucy to see _him_ so that nothing can go wrong?

Simon seemed to smile weakly for the first time all those fifteen years. "I'd like to know which of my pathetic brothers fathered you… Though you look like Nicko's girlfriend, I'm afraid that he could never produce quite such an… unusual child… I should say Trevor or Septimus."

"My name is Ria Mason-Heap. Uncle Simon, I want you never to breathe a word of my name to your companion on pain of death, and you know that I will know if you do. Look into my eyes and tell me you will never tell."

Simon did as he was told shakily, if slightly involuntarily, and again Ria dazzled her father and uncle with her peculiar talent.

"You should bring Aunt Lucy here tomorrow," Ria said with a strong air of authority even though she held the least of anyone in the room. "We should get back after Kayleigh now."

The three Wizards followed her out of the Dungeon and Septimus and Trevor put an extra strong seal on the door to stop _anybody_ getting in next time.

Once they were well away from the Dungeon and on the trail of the rogue scribe they paused to talk about what they had seen occur in Simon's cell.

"What did you do to Simon, Ria?" asked Septimus calmly.

"Found out the truth, nothing more… It's not difficult. I've always managed to do it."

"RIA?! Why didn't you tell anyone?" Trevor snapped. "Did it ever occur to you that nobody else can do that?"

"No, father, not really. I can make them do things if I really want to too… I don't like doing that though, it makes my eyes hurt… Madam Marcia, am I really the only person who can do that?"

Marcia smiled gently. "Quite probably. Your magyk appears to have manifested elsewhere to that of everyone else. Perhaps you could persuade Kayleigh to stop… When I still had my magyk I knew there was something special about you. Ria will make a fine Apprentice when you are ExtraOrdinary, Septimus, in fact, now that I am powerless, you may as well have my position now. Take the Amulet, Septimus."

"What?!" Septimus exclaimed in shock. "I'm not ready to be ExtraOrdinary Wizard! I'm… I'm… Marcia, please!"

"It belongs to you, Septimus," Marcia insisted, passing the Ankh Amulet to Septimus.

Septimus picked it up like it was a hot coal and stared at it for a very long minute. "You deserve it Septimus," said Trevor helpfully. "You've been the Apprentice for God only knows how long…"

"Fine," Septimus sighed, hanging the Amulet around his neck. "Ria, will you be my Apprentice?"

Ria's heart skipped a beat; she had never dreamed that anything like this would ever happen to her, even in the wildest and most bizarre of all her dreams. She would do her father proud, of that she was certain. She was going to find Kayleigh herself.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I'm a Star Wars fan, thus the crack at the darke side**

**Author Note: Don't worry marciarox, whoever you are, she won't befall an atrocious fate like she has in those stories belonging to other people... This is for Iluvcatz who officially reviewed all of my chapters in a single day! Sorry about shortness... Have to go! I've put a poll on my profile, feel free to vote on it, but don't feel obligated to... Keep rocking!**

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Chapter 5

Mackenzie Bridger was thirteen years old and an amateur Wizard, he had long brown hair and wore the blue robes of all the Wizards in the Castle, only his were still too big and he looked slightly ridiculous. His eyes were usually a light shade of green, but since his chance encounter with one of the Heap children they had changed to a dull grey. He had known she was a Heap, they were more distinctive than some of the other families within the Castle, but he hadn't been sure which one, she had tripped in the street and he had tried to help her up, but as soon as their skin came into contact she seemed to absorb all his magykal ability before she ran away.

Mackenzie decided that if the Heaps were going to steal all the magyk in the Castle then they ought to be stopped, so he went to see the Queen about it. Queen Jenna was widely known as being a Heap by adoption, but she held more authority than anyone else in the Castle, even more than the ExtraOrdinary Wizard. Mack had never met the Queen before and was slightly terrified of the prospect but was going to overcome his irrational fears for the greater good of the Castle and her inhabitants.

Queen Jenna Heap was amused at the sight of this small Wizard, he reminded her of her brother Simon as a young boy and with it brought back a pang of sadness at her darling brother's fate to rot in Dungeon One.

Mackenzie turned red as he stood before the Queen, unable to bring himself to speak and word in such a presence.

"What is wrong, young Wizard?" the Queen asked kindly, her violet eyes sparkling as she remembered her childhood with the Heaps.

"Um… One of the Heaps… she, er… she stole my… my magyk…" Mackenzie blushed.

"A Heap stole your magyk?" Jenna laughed. "How could anyone do that? Which Heap?"

"I-I don't know…"

"What's your name, boy?"

"Er… Mackenzie Bridger, most people call me Mack though… It was a… a girl Heap… a-about my age… a… a scribe…"

Jenna's expression darkened, scaring poor Mack and making him take a step backwards. "Kayleigh Heap. Kayleigh Heap has no magyk, begone and stop wasting time!"

"Oh, but, your majesty, I need my magyk back or else I can't be a Wizard!" Mack moaned.

"Go, before I summon the guards!" Jenna screeched. It upset Mack to see the Queen like this towards him, he had always been told that she was a very gentle Queen and rarely lost her temper. What had he done wrong?

Mackenzie fled the Palace and ran out into the streets, almost bowling over a girl in a green robe that resembled that of the ExtraOrdinary Apprentice, that couldn't be right, Septimus Heap was the Apprentice, right?

Mackenzie realised that this girl was a Heap too, but not the one who had stolen his magyk, he flushed red in embarrassment and tried to mumble an apology so that he could leave quietly, but there were two men behind her and the ExtraOrdinary Wizard, Marcia Overstrand, only she wasn't ExtraOrdinary any more, one of the men was, Mack recognised him as Septimus Heap. Had the Ankh Amulet changed hands already?

The girl looked at him closely. "Look at his eyes!" she exclaimed when she had gotten a good look at his face. "She's got him too! What's your name?"

Mack looked at her properly for the first time; she was slightly younger than him with long blonde hair showing her Northern heritage and bright, bright green eyes. There was something about her eyes, they almost mesmerised him, but he forced himself to look away.

"Mack Bridger," he muttered so that the girl almost didn't hear him.

"Are you alright?" she asked with a vague air of confusion. "What were you doing in the Palace?"

"I went to see the Queen because I lost my magyk to a girl, a Heap, I don't know her name… The Queen was angry with me."

Septimus Heap looked surprised. "I doubt Jen was angry with you. Maybe she thinks people are trying to blame Kayleigh because Simon is away in prison, she's never gotten over Simon's trip to the darke side…"

"My name is Ria Mason-Heap," the girl explained to Mackenzie. "This is my father, Trevor Mason-Heap, my uncle Septimus Heap and ex-ExtraOrdinary Wizard Marcia Overstrand… The girl who stole your magyk was called Kayleigh Heap, her father is the darke necromancer Simon Heap but until yesterday she possessed no magykal ability, she stole that from Marcia and we still aren't quite sure how she managed it… She has stolen many people's magyk, not just yours and that of Madam Marcia, for one my grandfather Silas Heap and her father, my uncle Simon Heap as well as Merrin Meredith… Did your parents ever tell you about the Great War?"

Mackenzie looked apprehensive. "I'm an orphan," he announced. "But I know the stories… Are you going to return the magyk? Could I come with you? Without my magyk it is pointless my being stuck here considering I'm supposed to be a Wizard…"

"Of course you can!" Ria said before her father could object. "I'm sorry about your parents… Did you ever know them or has it always been that way?"

"Always… I was abandoned at the Castle gates and they stuck me in an orphanage."

"What does this have to do with anything?" asked Trevor harshly.

"Nothing much," Ria smiled. "Come on Mack… We have to find my rogue cousin…"

Marcia Overstrand spoke, "It's harder than it looks to find someone who doesn't wish to be found."

Ria noticed her father and her uncle Septimus cringing at that comment and wasn't so sure why so she managed to dismiss it.

"Kayleigh's not being careful. In fact it is getting late… Perhaps we should search in the morning…"

"You know the longer we leave it the further away she will get," Septimus pointed out.

"Yes, I know…" said Ria, then Mackenzie watched in amazement as her eyes flashed. "But we're going to search in the morning, OK?"

Suddenly they all warmed up to Ria's idea and Mackenzie was very confused, she hadn't looked at him so he hadn't quite experienced what she could do. The energy was suddenly zapped from Ria and she staggered to the nearest solid object, the Palace wall.

"Do you think Aunt Jenna would mind if we slept in the Palace with grandma and granddad tonight?" she asked sleepily.

"Of course not," Marcia grinned, quite aware of what Ria was planning.

That night was going to change the course of young Mackenzie's life for longer than an eternity; he would never again be able to return to his regular resistance, even once he had his magyk back. Ria was never going to allow that.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author Note: Dear all, I apologise for the length of this chapter and I too apologise for how wordy I have been today... I am in a play '_A Midsummer Nights Dream'_ and it's Shakespeare, and if you have read any Shakespeare then you will know how wordy he can get... He was also born and did die on this very day, April 23rd (random fact)... Now tarry rash wontons (little quote for you), for I must bid they farewell until tomorrow we might meet again... Adieu... ~ARTY~**

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Chapter 6

Ria Mason-Heap awoke before the first rays of sunlight had made their way across the horizon and shook Mackenzie awake, a hand over his mouth to prevent anyone else from stirring. Then the two stole away in the darkness to collect the help that they would need. Firstly they gathered together Nicko's children, all three, Felicity and Grace and young Hunter, all blissfully unaware of what they were to be letting themselves into, next they assembled Ria's brothers, Nate, Charlie and Robbie, each bringing something to the group of children, a small army one might say… Upon sneaking into the Forest they aroused the final member of their troupe, Freya Heap, a young Wendron Witch and cousin to those of Heap blood. Then the children took it upon themselves to follow in Kayleigh's path, to capture and to save her from herself and the darkenesse within her.

They had yet to travel a league from the Castle when they spied the first signs that they were on the right tracks, Kayleigh had been practicing her new ability on the road towards the Port, rebuilt since it had suffered a 'freak storm' fifteen years ago. Arising from the Port they saw a plume of smoke on the tainted landscape, a single building, an inn at that, had been thrown into a raging inferno at the hands of the new found magykal powers of Kayleigh Heap, daughter of the legendary darke necromancer Simon Heap.

Further still they travelled, sweeping round to the entrance of the Marram Marshes and onto the cold icy water with the help of Hunter, Grace and Felicity. The small boat was crowded but stayed afloat by the aid of Ria and Nate's magyk.

As dawn came about they spied their missing cousin asleep beneath a tree and approached her cautiously, this was a dangerous act as they were soon to discover, but never the less they crept forward with extreme uncertainty.

Kayleigh Heap was not sleeping as heavily as they had once wished, she woke at the sound of nine pairs of feet crossing the ground before her, each falling and rising lightly from the compacted earth. The nine were barely aware that she was, in fact, hardly sleeping at all when she snapped to her feet and glared at them angrily. She recognised the majority as her cousins and the ninth was a boy that she had crossed paths with a day earlier in the Castle that they each called their home.

Kayleigh spoke, her words sharper than daggers and the look on her face could have killed the innocents around her had she wished it, but she was not out for death, but magyk. "Why have you followed me, stupid cousins of mine? Do you wish your magyk be removed also? It would be easy."

Kayleigh thrust a hand towards Nate but Mackenzie pulled him backwards in time to prevent their skin from contacting.

"Quite to the contrary," said Ria. "We want you to return the magyk that you have stolen, perhaps keep a little for yourself, but you have no need for it all. Silas Heap and Marcia Overstrand grow old, perhaps hold back some of their, they shall have little need of it… Kayleigh, this is ridiculous, just less than a week ago you were a young girl wishing to meet her father in your curiosity, now you are running from the place you call your home. We came alone to get you, to save you from the wrath of your uncles, I hear they have short tempers and ought not to be reckoned with about such matters. Let yourself be escorted back to the Castle with us so that we can resolve this matter peacefully…"

Kayleigh's eyes narrowed. "I have no wish to return to that Manuscriptorium, I have no wish to return this magyk within me. Come closer and I shall shoot you all with a thunderflash, regardless of your age or your heritage. I will not be made a fool of again. My father, worthless insolent man, had a cheek to call me a mere pathetic scribe, I was angered at the time, but now I see the unearthly truth in his words, I will not become a _mere_ _pathetic_ scribe again. Now stand aside you all, lest I harm you with my thunderflashes."

The greater part of the group virtually leapt backwards in fear, Kayleigh was a live wire with the renowned temperament of the Heaps mixed with that of her mother, the infamous Lucy Heap. Ria Mason-Heap, however, stood firm in her position, almost daring Kayleigh to take a good shot at her. Kayleigh resisted out of her own hatred for spilt blood. Mackenzie came to stand with Ria, a fear set deep in his stomach, now he wanted little more than to see that she stayed alive in her defiance.

"Right here, Kayleigh, and right now, you _are _that _pathetic_ scribe," Ria chided her, selecting her words carefully. "Stay here in the Marshes if you will, though I fear even you could not survive living here alone. _Mere pathetic_ scribes would not survive this place, or any place. _Mere pathetic_ scribes would not see a good thing, like a family coming to their aid, even if they stood before them for all to see… We came to help you, Kayleigh, to save you from the Darkenesse within you, you cannot deny that it is there, you let it in, you virtually invited it to stay inside your body and your soul, should anything be more apparent I must therefore be blinded… You threaten violence, so commit violence, I dare you with a force that you, my lowly cousin, cannot refuse, kill me here, if you wish it, but then face my father's wrath. Look upon my robes, for now I am the ExtraOrdinary Apprentice, all the magyk in all the worlds could never buy a _mere pathetic_ scribe such a position. Kayleigh Heap, you are by far just as bad as your father in your power-crazed ways. He sought my position and he failed, so you too will seek and so you too will fail. There is no need to turn out like your father, unless you wish to rot in Dungeon One with him…"

Kayleigh turned red with rage and sent a thunderflash straight into Ria's chest, it struck her and she fell to the ground giving the girl enough time to make her daring escape into the Marram Marshes and, in her eyes, to safety.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author Note: Hey people, was attacked by a drunk French woman today so... (Not being mean to French people, but this woman was seriously scary)... I hope you like this chapter... I've brought Jenna and Hettie both back into the picture here. Must dash. Byee!**

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Chapter 7

Hettie Mason-Heap went to check on her boys, Trevor and Ria had not returned the previous night but Hettie was sure Trevor knew what he was doing. It was quiet in the small house, too quiet; the boys were usually up by now and the odds on all three oversleeping on the same day were tiny. When she walked into their bedroom she shrieked in horror, each triplet was gone. She searched every part of the house but to no avail. The baby inside of her lurched uncomfortably as she grew more stressed by the situation.

She walked into the street and met the Chief Hermetic Scribe, Beetle Beetle passing through on his way to the Manuscriptorium. She stopped him and told him of her situation. Beetle was a friend of their family and said he would help in finding Trevor and Ria. Unfortunately he met Trevor going in the opposite direction not far from the house.

"Have you seen Ria, Beetle?" Trevor demanded.

"No. I was looking for you because the triplets have disappeared too."

Trevor stopped in his tracks. "Oh Lord… _All_ of my children have vanished? How is Hettie?"

"Stressed."

"Go and tell Septimus, he's in the Palace with his parents… And then help search for them…"

Beetle did as he was told; he found Septimus exactly where Trevor had said he was and explained the current situation, taking time to admire the fact that Septimus was now the ExtraOrdinary Wizard.

Septimus took the matter to the highest power within the Castle walls, the Queen, his sister Jenna.

"Jen, _four _children have gone missing over night and not just any children, your nephews and your niece… What can we do?"

Jenna didn't look particularly happy. "I'm afraid there is probably little you can do… Some kid came in here yesterday acting like Simon was trying to start another war, I don't think Simon would do that, he can't… People are trying to lay the sins of the father upon the daughter and I don't like it…"

Septimus sighed. "Kayleigh Heap is possessed by a darkenesse which has control of her and helped her to obtain the magyk of others. That boy, Mackenzie Bridger, has gone missing too, now I think that the events are linked. I think they went after Kayleigh, in which case we should check the Boatyard and see if Nicko's children are still here."

Jenna Heap blinked. "Kayleigh is not magykal; you know that Septimus, why is everyone blaming her?"

"She has stolen magyk. She has taken from Marcia, from Mackenzie, from dad and I fear that if she takes too much then she will lose control of her own conscience and that could be devastating. We must find her, and those children… Jenna, people are looking for them, but I don't think they will be found, Beetle is out looking and Trevor and Hettie… Please, come and help us, you hold such an authority over the people and that's one of the reasons I lo-" Septimus stopped, blushing at the amount that he had given away.

"Septimus you're my brother, not by blood, but in law and in the minds of the people… I like you Septimus, I like you a lot, I may even go as far as to say I love you, but we can never be together, not while you are the ExtraOrdinary Wizard and I myself am the Queen. We both have duties to our Castle."

"Jenna, Jen, that's not what I meant… I know of my duties and I know of yours, but I can't help loving you, something in my heart says that I have always loved you, even when we were young…"

"I know," Jenna replied sadly, a tear in her eye. "I think I did too, but it's too late for us now, we can never be together unless we both leave this place and that can never be possible. There is no place for us within these walls. I should have listened to you when you told me all those years ago, I loved you then like I love you now but then it was possible and now… alas, it is not…"

"I know. Don't cry, the world is always cruel to lovers."

"Maybe I should have stayed dead these fifteen years…"

Septimus reached out and gently wiped the tears from under her eyes. "You never saw what I was like after I killed you. I never meant to kill you. I think I would have had to die too if we hadn't resurrected you that day… I don't know what I would have done without Trevor."

"Don't you ever say that again, Sep, you would have been fine without me," Jenna whispered softly, touching Septimus' hand which was still against her cheek.

Then, without warning, their lips met in their first kiss, they had never meant for this to take place in so crude a location, it was never meant to happen at all but they felt so complete being together at last.

"Don't let me go again," Jenna whispered in his ear once they had parted.

Sep looked at her and smiled. "I never expected that… But we have five missing children to find… Come and join the search party."

Jenna followed her newfound love into the streets and was immediately met by Nicko passing by and heading straight for the Palace. "The children are gone!" Nicko shouted. "All three!"

Septimus blinked in misbelieve. "That makes eight children missing in one day. Find Trevor, this is not a coincidence any more… We'll Seek the children."

Trevor was closer than they had once feared and both the seventh sons, uniting their magyk for the first time in many years, sent Seeks out of the Castle and into the world beyond. It was Trevor who got the first hit.

"They are… in the Marram Marshes… What on Earth are they doing there? What if they are hurt? Oh Christ, please say my children are not hurt… We'll go right away, come, before anything bad happens to them. Jenna, can you take care of my wife while we are away? Thank you, we will return with the children quicker than you know."

But they were hardly aware of what lay in store beyond the Palace walls, the Darkenesse was approaching again, and with the seventh sons gone from the Castle there could be but one outcome. Peril.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author Note: I have to go to rounders trials soon, so I can't say much... This chapter is full of bizarre coincidences that are very unlikely to all happen at the same time. We find out Ria's fate and a couple of other things... There are a couple of author's notes in there because some things are just too stupid and I'll get comments unless I explain fully... I hope you guys like it... This is for Iluvcatz, the only person who has reviewed all of my chapters for me (thank you!)... But I'm very grateful to all of you! And also to Rollieo 122 who I know will read this... For letting me have her way with my version of her and for having a bizarre ability to read my mind... Got to go now... Have fun**

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Chapter 8

Nate Mason-Heap was horrified, his sister Ria, the ExtraOrdinary Apprentice, lay most probably dead on the ground amidst the Marram Marshes far from any civilisation. Then one of his cousins, probably Grace, but he was too upset to pay much attention, pointed out that they could take Ria to their Aunt Zelda in the Keeper's Cottage which wasn't far from where they were.

Mackenzie Bridger shook his head at the suggestion. "We shouldn't move her," he said. "She needs to see a Physician…"

"There aren't going to be any Physicians out here!" Nate shouted him down. "We have to save my sister!"

Mack, who was kneeling next to Ria's body turned to look up at him, his expression slightly angered. "You think I don't want to save her?" he growled. "I have been a Wizard much longer than you and I have seen things like this before. We don't move her."

Nate stared back at him, a fire in his emerald eyes. "Why should you care about _my_ sister? You barely even know her."

"I don't want _anybody_ to die, Ria is the only person who has been nice to me in a very long time and whether she is _your_ sister or not has no bearing on whether or not I care about her. Now make yourself useful and see if you can Hear her heartbeat."

Nate was angry, he wanted to blame someone for this, and instead of blaming Kayleigh like everyone else he exacted his blame on Mack Bridger, an innocent bystander as far as this incident was concerned. Mack tried to check if Ria was breathing, which proved harder than he had thought it would be, he found himself still in the dark about the whole affair. Nate listened for Ria's heart rate and Heard a slight murmur beneath that of the other people around him.

"Ria is alive," he snapped. "Can we get her to Aunt Zelda's now?"

"Does anyone have a piece of glass? Something cold-ish to check if she's breathing?" Mack continued, ignoring Nate's last comment.

Each of them shook their head in turn, did he expect them to be prepared for someone to die like that?

"I shall give her CPR." **(A.N. I know Septimus Heap is not modern, but I couldn't think what else to call it)**

Mack carefully gave Ria 'the kiss of life' and she started to cough gently. Then her eyes opened and she looked around, a film still over her eyes as she gazed around. She managed to pick out the figures of her brothers first before she noticed Mackenzie Bridger still kneeling over her, her memory was slightly clouded of what had happened, but there was a large pain in her chest and her limbs seemed reluctant to move when she tried to make them.

"Ria!" Charlie shouted happily.

His brother Robbie echoed him at almost exactly the same time. Nate looked shocked, had Mackenzie saved his sister! No, Mack couldn't save his sister! Mack was stupid and annoying and no longer magykal! It wasn't fair! **(A.N. Someone's jealous :D)**

Ria tried to sit up but her control over her body was slightly limited. Mackenzie helped her to sit up helpfully.

The Dockyard children were looking around carefully, their father had told them of all the perils that lived in the Marram Marshes which he had experienced as a boy and were slightly sceptical that this was the safest spot to stay in.

Freya looked around for a different reason, she had never left the Forest before and this change of scenery was strange for her after her nine years of little but trees and wolverines.

Ria looked at each of her brothers in turn and then turned to Mackenzie. "Thank you," she whispered, her mouth was dry. "I take it Kayleigh got away…"

Nate nodded gravely and Ria sighed. "Shame. I don't know how I survived that… Mack, you saved me, right? Thanks a lot. Tell me, how did you know what to do?"

"I lived opposite Marcellus Pye for many years and liked to look through his window, one day he invited me in and showed me some stuff… But I don't know any proper Physik though… Do you feel alright?"

Ria smiled at him lovingly. "You saved me, of course I'm alright… I can never thank you as much as you deserve. You also saved Nate from losing his magyk if I remember rightly… You've done so much for us, we can never repay you. Stay with us."

"I'm not going anywhere," Mack whispered into her ear.

Nate sighed. "Sorry, Mack… I guess I was worried about Ria… Thank you for saving my sister, I guess you don't need magyk to save people."

Then Hunter squawked something about a person coming towards them. They feared the worst, maybe Kayleigh had come back, so Nate tried to take on the responsibility of keeping them all safe, then they noticed two more people with the stranger and relaxed slightly, Kayleigh was hardly in the mood to share the pleasure of finishing them all off.

Before they had time to do anything else they had all three strangers around them, they weren't strangers either, but Trevor, Septimus and Nicko who had set out to find them not long ago.

Trevor looked angry and relieved at the same time. "What were you thinking?" he demanded. "You could have been killed!"

The triplets couldn't help glancing at Ria when he said that, but not, as he thought, because she had suggested they go in search of Kayleigh, merely because she _had_ almost been killed…"

Nicko was giving his three children a stern telling off for following Ria and also for hijacking a boat without permission of the owner, it wasn't proper to do such a thing and if word got out about his children stealing boats then the Boatyard would lose business.

"Freya?!" Septimus said in shock as he noticed the ninth child. "What on Earth are you doing outside the Forest? Does your father know you are here?"

"It's my fault," said Ria nobly. "I told them all to come and they followed me, we thought we could capture Kayleigh but we failed. You shouldn't punish any of them for what I have done. I am very sorry."

"What has gotten into you, Ria?" Trevor snapped. "Ever since Kayleigh saw Simon you've changed."

"I'm very sorry, father, but you can't blame any of these people…"

Trevor was not listening to her. "And why on Earth are you here with _all_ of you cousins and some Wizard who was _stupid enough_ to let himself have his magyk taken."

Ria felt offended. "Do not insult Mack, he just saved my life because Kayleigh just killed me! You should be grateful to him! And besides… I think I love him…"


	9. Chapter 9

**Author Note: Guys, all I can do is apologise, this chapter is really short and it is indeed yesterday's chapter that I failed to put up, so today will have to miss out... My brain is frozen and keeps drifting away, in my Latin lesson I could barely stay awake and I was darned lucky I didn't have a rehearsal today or else I think I would have lain down and died quietly... In this chapter we (in the words of Septimus himself) reminisce about the past, or the rest of the SH series and a whole lot of TSS, basically, Rollieo, my friend, you won't understand a word... So, have fun... Eternally sorry to you all ~ARTY~**

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Chapter 9

Ria's words had caused quite a stir and eleven shocked pairs of eyes turned to look on her. Ria smiled but said nothing to end their state of disbelief.

"Ria, a twelve-year-old can hardly know the true meaning of love," her father said to her.

"Not true," both Nicko and Septimus said before Ria herself could reply. Nicko continued the thread of speech. "I met Snorri when I was just thirteen… There is hardly a difference."

"Yes," said Septimus, trying hard not to give too much away about his relationship with the Queen. "I fell in love when I was young, but I didn't understand and did nothing, I let my love slip away from me. You can hardly say that to Ria, considering you and Hettie got together at such a young age."

"I was fifteen and so was she…" Trevor tried to defend himself.

"You put a hex on her and whisked her away to a cave," Sep retaliated.

Trevor's children looked surprised; they had never been told _that_ version of the story. Trevor had to admit to himself that he had left things open for that comment and every word that Septimus spoke was true so he could hardly argue for fear of being shot down. Then again, he did know the truth behind Septimus' love; he had been there when Sep had admitted his love for his adoptive sister Jenna.

"Ria, try to be sensible…" was all he managed to say in defence.

Ria smiled again. "And Mack? What do you think?"

Mack was slightly speechless. "Shocked, very, very shocked… I… er… I'm confused."

"Don't worry," Ria replied, forcing her arm to move towards him. "You don't have to love me back; we only met a couple of days ago… I suppose if my father cursed my mother into love then it must run in the family…"

"I lifted the curse," Trevor mumbled grumpily. "I only did it to save her."

"From what, dad?" asked Robbie curiously.

Trevor's cheeks flushed slightly red. "Not something you kids need to worry about… Things happened and then they were solved… Nothing more…"

Septimus and Nicko laughed and the children looked slightly confused. "You could say that…" said Nicko.

"Seriously, what were you saving her from? You can trust us, right?" said Charlie.

"Not really," said Trevor simply. "You disobeyed me, some more than once, like _Ria_."

"We won't again," Ria assured him. "I virtually died today. I will not ever betray your trust again…"

"_Ria_! You died! How?"

"Kayleigh hit me with a thunderflash, a powerful one and it nearly killed me. Mack and Nate saved me. Please tell us what our mother needed saving from."

Trevor sighed. "Well… I guess I was mainly saving her from me… I met her in a bar at the Port right before the 'freak accident'… I saved her from that accident because… well, I caused that accident. I blew up the Port because of some witches and the only one I could save was Hettie. I hexed her so that she wouldn't run away, I lifted it eventually, I told her to leave but she wouldn't, we've been together almost all the time since, except during the Great War, Simon kidnapped her…"

Each of Trevor's children looked slightly shocked at the truth that their father had told them. "I never expected that you… killed someone, dad," said Ria slowly.

"You can say that again," Nate agreed.

"Oh, I almost went to jail for it, Hettie stabbed Marcia Overstrand in an attempt for us to stay together. Marcia was fine, of course, but it was a risky thing to do, I told her not to, but she didn't want to leave me alone like that. I love your mother, I have since the day I met her and I always will, you children remember that. When I look at you I see Hettie, especially Ria, you are a lot like your mother… You also inherited your slightly maddened determination from her, I'm not sure whether that is a good thing, your mother and me got into a few scrapes because of that… Good job I'm the seventh son of the seventh son otherwise things would have gone seriously wrong back then…"

Septimus laughed. "You made a lot of things go wrong without Hettie's help, remember? _We_ did our fair share of making things go wrong when we were younger… Both of us, you demolished the Port and I… I'm not going to go into that… We need to stop reminiscing about the past and get on in search of Kayleigh…"

"Hey kids, on the subject of the past," Nicko grinned. "Did I ever tell you about the time your mother and I spent time in the Past, way back in the Past… We were rescued, thank God, or else we'd still be there now…"

"Let's get going," said Ria cheerfully, struggling to stand up and almost falling back onto Mack. He caught her and put her back on her feet. "At it again," she laughed. "How many times will you save me today?"

"As much as necessary," Mack squeaked shyly. "I don't mind as long as you stick around."

"_I'm not going anywhere_," Ria whispered.

There progress out of the Marshes was slow, but the Darkenesse was catching them up again. Who would it get this time? Time would tell, only time could tell…


	10. Chapter 10

**Author Note: This chapter is slightly shorter than the rest, but fear not, eventually I will make it up to you all! This is for Camilla Richard who remembered it was my birthday soon. This is the last chapter I can possibly write you at the age of 14, so see if I change (which I won't) with my additional age! People wanted to know what was going to happen to Lucy and Simon and so here is their chapter... Enjoy... See you all!**

**Oh, and I have thought of a song to go with Simon and Lucy's relationship, Far Away by Nickelback, very apt for them, the title suggests a lot, right? If you've ever heard it I hope you will agree with me!**

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Chapter 10

Kayleigh Heap was worried that they would catch up with her, she knew Trevor and Septimus would come after her just as soon as they found Ria, and she knew they would, her cousins would see to that. If only she had stolen Ria's magyk first, then she would be fine. Now that Ria was dead she was never going to get it. She couldn't believe that she had actually killed someone, she had only meant to stun her but her rage had made the spell slightly stronger than it was supposed to be, she knew where to run to though, her father's old hideout which someone had once told her had been in the Badlands. She would be safe there.

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Lucy Heap was in the process of being escorted someone by the Chief Hermetic Scribe Beetle Beetle, she hadn't been told as to where she was going but she wasn't usually escorted anywhere so this must be special. Lucy still lived with her parents in the Gatehouse and wondered if, maybe, as Kayleigh's employer, Beetle had come to fetch her with matters from the Manuscriptorium. Unfortunately Lucy was as far from the truth as she was ever going to get.

In the absence of Septimus Heap Beetle had been asked to supervise the meeting of Simon Heap and his wife. Marcia Overstrand also planned to be there while this was taking place.

Lucy was more than slightly surprised to be led down into Dungeon One, having been cursed all these years she had absolutely no idea that her husband was down here still. With Marcia's magyk gone they had no way of lifting the curse from Lucy and so they planned to see if she remembered when she saw Simon, if not they would have to _hope_ Simon would lift it from her without doing something stupid in the process. Hopefully Ria's strange mind powers would come in useful here.

When Lucy entered the dungeon she looked around blankly at first before she focussed on the two figures against the walls, one looked familiar and the other she thought that she knew but wasn't one hundred percent sure. One thing was definite for her though, the familiar was a Heap, there were no two ways about it, he had the trademark green eyes and sandy hair of Silas Heap.

"Why have you brought me here?" she demanded of Beetle. "I don't remember these men."

In a single sentence Lucy had caused Simon's day to hurtle to the top of his 'worst day ever' list, even above being placed in jail to start with. He couldn't believe that his own wife had forgotten who he was.

"Lucy," he whimpered sadly. "How can you not remember me?"

Lucy stared at him again, harder than before and then blinked before staring again. "Tell me your name…" she asked him gently.

"Simon Heap."

Beetle crossed his fingers at this point and Marcia started to hold her breath subconsciously before realising it was stupid and starting to breathe again.

Lucy stared at the ground as she thought, biting her lip in an attempt to bring the memories back. "The name is… familiar… I can't think properly…"

"You did this to her," Simon growled at Marcia. "Take your stupid curse off of my wife."

"Your… wife?" Lucy stuttered, the words coming out strangely. "No. My husband left the Castle without me after the Great War. I want you to tell me who you really are."

"Lucy, I didn't leave, it's me, Simon, listen to me, Marcia Overstrand hexed you with the wrong memories. Marcia, take your ridiculous curse off of her!"

"I can't," Marcia sighed. "Unfortunately your daughter stole my magyk too. There is nobody within the Castle walls powerful enough to remove that curse, except you, but we can hardly trust you now, can we?"

Simon's eyes widened as he tried to stand up, his legs were stiff, he hadn't stood for almost twelve years and he had almost forgotten how to. His wrists were in chains attached to the wall in various places, as were his ankles, the Wizards were not going to risk his escape for anything… He reached out his right hand to touch Lucy but she pulled away.

"Is this man truly my husband?" Lucy screeched to Beetle and Marcia.

Beetle and Marcia both nodded simultaneously and Lucy looked confused. "Why has everyone told me that he left the Castle when he blatantly has not?"

"Simon was the cause of the Great War, Lucy, we weren't to risk anything happening and so you were placed under a powerful curse and caused to forget the truth."

"Luce," Simon almost whispered. "Try to remember me; I can take that curse from you if you will only let me touch you again."

Lucy's hand shook as she extended it towards Simon, he took it gingerly, remembering what it had been like all those times he had been with her in the past, it was hard to believe that she had forgotten him. Slowly he lifted the hex and Lucy felt the true memories replacing the lies that had been installed in her head. There were tears in her eyes by the time he had finished.

"Simon!"

Simon smiled. "Lucy, do you remember me now? Please don't cry, darling…"

"Of course I remember you! How could I forget you? Oh Simon, I love you!"

Lucy flung herself into Simon's arms and he held her there for a long while, his face in her red hair all the while. When he let her go she was crying.

"Lucy, don't worry, one day things will work out…"

The words 'don't bet on it' were resonating inside of Marcia Overstrand's head, but she restrained herself from saying it. Simon didn't deserve this, but what was done was done… There was nothing else to do about it.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author Note: If any of you should read this then I thank you... I don't know how long it shall be before I update this again... I was bored and so wrote something and I was bored and so it is completely weird... Thing is, I missed you guys and nobody really talks to me now I've stopped writing this... Except Iluvcatz and occasionally Camilla Richard... This is for you, I thank you more than anybody else on this website... I hope you actually read this... Have fun**

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Chapter 11

It took Kayleigh Heap two hours, two minutes and twenty two seconds precisely to find her father's old hideout in the Badlands, it wasn't very well hidden and only that pesky wurm had held her up. Inside it was strange, just like a wurm burrow, she felt a sense of déjà vu, like she'd been there before, but she had not, not since her birth anyway… It was quite dusty, Simon had never really been very tidy and then you had another fifteen years of dust to keep up with. Kayleigh felt quite at home in the Observatory. Her being there triggered a shield to form around the Observatory so that nobody could see it from any distance, it was a old spell, Simon Heap had placed it there some fifteen years ago so that none but himself and Lucy could find this place, evidently Kayleigh was now classed with them, being half of each… But something was strange about this burrow, like she wasn't the only one there, and she wasn't, the Darkenesse was creating a body of its own now, it needed her to house it no longer. When it left her weak form it took every scrap of magyk from her body and left her on the floor of the Observatory semi-conscious. The Darkenesse itself felt no remorse for leaving her there to die, but the body that it had made for itself did, the boy helped her up and stared at her sideways. This body had a slight will of its own, but it was mainly pure Darkenesse, there was little else to prove it any different.

Kayleigh was breathing heavily, this seemed to entice the Darke boy, he had no need to breathe and in his few moments of being had seen but one human. Kayleigh blinked at him, wanting to scream but unable to do so for she was so very weak.

The boy pressed a Darke little finger into her skin and to his surprise could not pass through it; he had always just been a thought, a state inside of people, never having any substantiation of his own. He had hair too, dark hair but curly just like Kayleigh's, and eyes that were not just for show, he could truly see for himself for the first time in many centuries. This Darkenesse generally travelled in the bodies of weaker individuals and was now mere flesh and blood of his own, mortal too, or so he thought. Speech was the next experiment. Could he speak? He wasn't sure, but this thinking business showed he had the makings of brain activity.

"Hello?" he said uneasily, his voice was strange, different from that of a mortal.

Kayleigh looked at him and her eyes widened in fear. "Hello," her voice shook. "Who are you?"

The boy thought, he had never had a personage of his own. "I'm afraid I have no name. I am a personification of your own being. Don't worry, I shan't harm you."

"If you are part of me then how come we are apart? Why have these things come to pass?"

"Because I wished them to. You are too led by your own emotions and I have things that must be done… Unfortunately not one person you have come into contact with has been weak enough or willing enough to house me, so I must therefore take a form of my own."

"Why don't you harm me then? If I am so weak and so willing to take you on, whatever you are, then why shouldn't I just die?"

"Kayleigh Heap, child of necromancer Simon Heap, you are needed in the great scheme of things… And I myself shall need help with my agenda."

"Your… agenda?"

"Oh yes, I have plans for that Castle, but _you_ ran away and thus scuppered my great plan. I have to get back to the Castle, do you wish to remain here, or shall you aid me? Your life shall be worth it should you aid me…"

"You'll need a name! You can't just storm in there as some Embodied Darkenesse! At least try to cover your tracks. If I should help you, you shouldn't hurt my family, I'm afraid I have already killed one today and I am not keen on them all dying because of me."

"She is not dead. Unfortunately she should be top of the priority for me to destroy, she is powerful, too powerful for my plan to work and you have virtually led her right here, I tried to make you cover your tracks, I was that nagging in the back of your brain if you recall my being there, but you wouldn't listen, as I said, you are ruled by your emotions. A name you say… I shall never find a name as quickly as this; I have only a catalogue of the names of people that you came into contact with. Once I have the Castle then I will bother with a name, there is too much magyk in that Castle, the darkenesse is almost destroyed in its entirety. Firstly I shall free Simon Heap and Merrin Meredith, that too I tried to make you do, but you were too emotional about your father to carry out my bidding. I need an emotionless human to house me and unfortunately such a thing cannot exist, emotions make humans what they are. I cannot feel emotions so I can carry out my own bidding. Shall you come with me?"

Kayleigh looked surprised. "You want me with you? After I failed you all those times? Could I call you… Jack?"

"Jack?" the boy said contemptuously. "If you wish it, but I shan't refer to myself by that name."

"I find it hard to believe that you can feel no emotions, in truth you are a bit of a megalomaniac… Jack the megalomaniac!"

The boys face was hard. "Whatever you wish, Kayleigh. Come, we have work to do. However not through that door, your family are close and any attempt to leave through that door will leave to them finding us, your cousin Ria will cause us some real problems… Her father too, and Septimus Heap… They will be dealt with, in due course… So, let us depart, to succeed where you father Simon Heap failed to do so, stay with me and I shall see that no harm befalls you."


End file.
